Resetting mechanism



Oct 7, 1941. w. H. ROBERTSON 2,257,858 RESETTING MECHANISM Original Filed Jun 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1 i

William H. Robertson His Attnrrige'y;k

Oct. 7, 1941. W, H ROBERTSON 2,257,858

RESETTING MECHANISM Original Filed June 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William H. Robertson ventor By l His Attoxnev Patented Oct. 7, 1941 RESETTING MECHANISM William H. Robertson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Original application June 22, 1938, Serial No. 215,131. Divided and this application May 20, 1940, Serial No. 336,182

3 Claims.

rhis invention relates to novel mechanism for selectively resetting one or another group of counters to Zero.

This application is a division of an application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 215,131, led by William H. Robertson and John P. Frank on June 22, 1938, which application has issued on May 6, 1941, as United States Patent No. 2,241,272.

In machines using a plurality of counters it is often desirable to be able to reset certain of the counters to zero without affecting the amounts standing on the remaining counters. To accomplish this end, the resetting mechanism of the instant invention includes an operating lever having two positions. In one position the lever is connected to mechanism operable to reset certain counters, and in the other position it is connected to mechanism operable to reset the other counters.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel mechanism for selectively resetting counters to zero.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to enforce the completion of a resetting operation involving one set of counters before the selection of another set of counters for resetting can b e accomplished.

With these and incidental objects in View, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Of said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the various counters and their arrangement.

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the counter actuating means, certain parts being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the counter resetting mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a front view showing a locking means and a portion of a mechanism controlled by said locking means for preventing operation of the resetting mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail side View of the counter reset lever and its connections for selectively operating mechanism for resetting the counters to zero.

Fig. 6 is a detail side View of one of the counter wheels.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Selecting means controlled by the machine cause f the selective operation of the counters to provide an indication of the number of times various operations have occurred in a period of time.

The wheels of each of the counters grouped in a single line are rotatably mounted on a shaft. This shaft has a longitudinal groove cut therein, and the shaft, when rotated, can drive the wheels to zero position by means of pawls on the counter wheels engaging the longitudinal groove.

A lever, settable to two positions, has a stud which in one position connects the lever to one of two gears and in another position connects the lever to the other of the two gears to enable the lever to be connected selectively to the gears so that the lever, when operated in either position, will drive the gear connected thereto. Each of these gears is connected to certain of said counter wheel supporting shafts to cause these shafts to be rotated and the counters thereon to be reset to zero.

Various interlocking devices are provided to insure that a resetting operation of one group of counters, once it is commenced, will be completed before another group of counters can be reset.

The details of these mechanisms will now be described.

DETAILED DEsomrrIoN Special counters The present machine is provided with twentyone counters (Fig. 1) arranged in four rows or groups, each row including live counters except one row, which has six counters. These rows of counters are disposed in parallel relation with one another in the machine.

One roW comprises individual clerks counters, each counter being designated by one of the clerks letters "A. B, D, E, and H corresponding to various clerks keys bearing the same characters, for adding the number of transactions entered into the machine by each of the clerks. f

Another row includes individual clerks item counters, designated as A item, B item, D item, E item, and H item, for adding the number of items comprising the various transactions entered into the machine by each clerk.

Another row includes Cash, Chargef Recd. on acct, Paid out, No sale, and Sub-total counters. These counters each add the total number of transactions of each of the classes above indicated which are entered into the machine by all of the clerks. For example, the cash transactions entered into the machine by each of the clerks will be added into the Cash counter.

The remaining row comprises Cash items, Charge items, Add, Customen and Total counters. The Cash items counter adds the number of items comprising all of the cash transstep. The levers 226 are selectively operable to actions entered into the machine by the various cause the counters to be actuated. The selective clerks, while the Charge items counter adds the operation of the levers forms no part of this innumber of items comprising all of the charge vention and will not be described herein. For

transactions entered into the machine by the 5 these details reference may be had to the parent Various clerks. The Add counter adds the case.

number of times that the machine is used for adding operations during which no entry is made into any of the classification totalizers. The The counters in the first two rows (Fig. 1) are Customer counter adds the total number of l identied with individual clerks, whereas the complete transactions entered into the machine counters in the other two rows, except the total by all of the clerks, but does not add in certain and sub-total counters, are each identified with other adding Operations. The Total Counter transactions involving any of the clerks. It is adds the number Of times that total-taking Opef- Sometimes desirable-for example, where the ations are performed on the machine. The Subl5 clerks work on different shifts-to reset the intotal Counter adds the number of times o Subdividual clerk counters when changing shifts, total operation is performed. and at the same time keep as a running total The counters are Visible for reading purposes the amounts on the counters identified with the through openings 2Go (Fig. l) in a proteCtng clerks in general. For this purpose the machine COVel 201, WhCh COVel has an integral plate 292 is provided with a single reset lever 380 common (Fig. 3) protecting the front Port of the Counter to all of the counters and adapted to be first assemblies. A transparent plate 283 lies undermanually moved counter-clockwise or forward to neath the cover 281 to prevent unauthorized maperform a resetting operation, and then clocknpulation of said counters. The counter names wise or rearward to return it to its home posiand designations are on Strips 284 (Fie. l) betion. This lever has two positions of adjustment, neath the plate 2&3. The Cover 231 and the plate a lower position and an upper position. In its 282 are secured to the counter Supporting side lower position the lever 3811 is adapted to reset frames 189 and 1530. These frames are fastened the two rows of individual clerk counters, while to the base 33 of the machine, the fastening of in its upper position it is adapted to reset the frame 19o by means of screws |92 beine shown in 30 other two rows of counters except the total and Fig. 3. the sub-total counters.

The rows of counters, in the order above enu- Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the shafts 2111 merated, are supported on shafts 210, 211, 212, and 21|, which rotatably Support the counter and 213 respectively (Figs. 2 and 3), which wheels 22S of the individual clerks counters, shafts are journaled at their ends in frames 214, 35 have secured thereto pinions 382 and 383, respec- 215, 216` and 211 respectively, mounted in side tively, while the shafts 212 and 213, which rotatplates 189 and 199. ably support the wheels 228 of the transaction The construction and operation of the counters and customer counters, have secured thereon herein referred to are old and well known in the pinions 384 and 385, respectively. The pinions art, as illustrated in the Fuller Patent No. 382 and 383 mesh with an idler gear 386 freely 1,394,256, and therefore only a brief description mounted on a stud 387 in the frame |90, while thereof will be given. Since all of said counters the pinions 384 and 285 mesh with an idler gear are alike in construction except for the number 388 freely mounted on a stud 389 carried by the of wheels, some having three wheels and some frame 1811. The gears 388 and 388 mesh with having four wheels, a detailed description of one gears 398 and 391, respectively (Fig. 5), both counter will suffice for all. loosely mounted on a stud 392 in the frame 190.

A detailed description of the Sub-total The gear 388 (Fig. 3) and its associated gear counter (Fig. 2) will be given as exemplary of 393 are located on one side of a spacer plate 393 all of said counters. This counter includes a mounted on the studs 381 and 389, while the gear plurality of number wheels 228, each having se- 388 and its associated gear 391 are located on the cured thereto a ratchet 221 mounted on the shaft opposite side of said plate 393. The plate 393, 212. Also mounted on the shaft 212 is a yoke therefore, serves to keep the proper sets of gears 222 carrying a pawl 223 mounted on a rod 224 in alinernent and said pairs of gears in non-incarried by the yoke 222 and spring-urged into terfering relation. engagement with the ratchet 221. This pawl is Each of the shafts 210 to 213, inclusive, is proof the usual lnulti-tined type and coacts with vided with the usual groove 394 (Fig. 6),which is the ratehets 221 to move the wheels 220 one step adapted, when said shafts are rotated counterof movement when the yoke 222 is rocked counclockwise, to coact with a spring-pressed reset ter-clockwise during the operation of the mapawl 395 carried by each counter wheel 22D to chine. A spring-pressed retaining pawl 225 GU reset said wheel to zero. IThe reset lever 388, serves to hold the ratchets 221 and wheels 228 in when in its lower position of adjustment, is position. Rocking the yoke 222 counter-clockadapted to actuate the gear 39D to cause the wise and then clockwise back to its normal posishafts 218 and 211 to be rotated counter-clocktion to operate the counter is accomplished wise to reset-to zero the counter wheels 220 supthrough the bifurcated end of a lever 226 emported thereon. When the lever 380 is in its upbracing a rod 227 mounted in the yoke 222. per position of adjustment, it is adapted to actu- 'I'he counter-clockwise movement of the yoke ate the gear 391 to cause the shafts 212 and 213 222 causes the pawl 223 to advance the lowest orto be rotated counter-clockwise to reset the counder wheel 228 one step. Each ratchet 221 has a ter wheels 22e supported thereon. The means deep notch 228, and, as its associated wheel 223 T0 by which the lever 388 selectively actuates the passes from 9 to 0, the tine of the pawl 223 gears 398 and 391 to reset the various groups of for said wheel enters said notch 228, thus percounter wheels 220 will now be described mitting the pawl 223 to be rocked counter-clock- The lever 388 is so arranged that manual wise about the rod 224, whereupon the next nighmovement thereof forward, or counter-clockwise, er order pawl-tine turns its associated Wheel one effects the resetting to zero of two rows of Counter reset mechanism counters simultaneously, the two rows of counters The pawl 429 is normally held in the position thus reset being dependent upon the position in shown in Fig. 3 by the retaining pawl 423, a which said lever is adjusted. The lever 380 (Figs. forward edge 429 of which is caused, by the spring 3 and 5) has a slot 400 and surrounds the stud 42%, to bear against the right side of a nose 430 392 to Slide and DiVOt thereon- AISO DiVOially of the pawl 420, thus tending to rotate the pawl mounted on the stud 392 is a disk 40| having 426 clockwise and also to retain the right end slots 492 which receive studs 403 on the lever 380 of the slot 42| against the stud 422. The clockand guide said lever from one position of adjustwise movement of the pawl 42|) causes a nose ment to another. 43| thereof to ratchet in and out of the teeth On the opposite side of the lever 380 is mount- 10 425 when the lever 389 is moved counter-clocked a stud 494 adapted to selectively connect said Wise, lever 380 with either one of the gears 390 or 39|. AS the lever :me and disk 401 approach the end This is accomplished by means f the Stud 454 oi 'their counter-clockwise movement, a nger @acting With ilegullY-Shaped Slots m and 4322 on the disk 49| will strike the nose 43| and 406 in the gears 390 and 39|, respectively, which.v ende the pawl 42o to the right 0n the Stud 422.

slots are concentric with the stud 392. The slots This Sliding movement of the pawl 426 cams the 405 and 406 terminate at their right-hand ends retaining pewj 42g against the action of the in radial oiset portions 451 and 498, respectively. Spying 42g uutu the apex of the nose 430 of the When the lever 383 is in its lower position of' pawl agg passes the apex of the angle formed by adjustment, the stud 484 engages the offset porthe eide 129 and another side 43s of the retaintion 497 of the slot 435 to connect said lever 389 ing patti 423, whereupon the retaining pawl 423 With the gear 390, thus enabling the level 333 is free to rock clockwise to bring the side 433 to drive the gear 39B counter-clockwise to reset into Contact With the left Side of the nose 439 to Zero the individual clerks counters on the ef the pam 42g` shafts 2|@ and 2| I. When the lever 380 is shifted 25 This resu1te in the pawl 420 being cammed to its upper position of adjustment, the stud 404 Counteluejoekwse about the Stud 422, which at @Hedges the Offset lUOTtiOD 403 0f the 510|? 405, this time is seated in the left end of the slot 42|.

thereby Connecting Said lever 380 with the goor such counter-clockwise movement of the pawl 395, tllllS enabling the lever 390 drive the 42B withdraws the nose 43| out of cooperative gear 39| @Gunter-ClOCkWiSe t0 reset |30 ZelO the 30 relation with the teeth 425 and throws a nose transaction counters on the shafts 2|2 and 2|3. of the petwl 42o into Cooperative relation with When one or the other of the gears 390 or 39| the teeth 42g iS dlVel by the lfVSl" 339, tlllllgh the engage' Upon return clockwise movement of the lever ment Of the Stud 404 with 0H@ Of the Offset D01'- it, the nose 434 of the pawl 420 ratchets in and tions 401 or 433 in said gears, the stud 404 will out oi the teeth 425 until the lever 380 reaches ride idly in the COIlCeIlC DOTOH 0f the SlOl its home position7 whereupon a finger 435 on the 455 or the slot 466 of the other one of said gears disk ll-3| coacts with the nose 434 and rocks said which is not driven. pawl 132i] clockwise to the position shown in Fig.

When the lever 330 has been moved the full 3l wherein the nose 43| again becomes engaged extent of its forward stroke, it is then manually 40 with the teeth 25 on the disk 40|.

t t 't' lnji utoulxgchgernh S@ Locking means for total Zever and counter elset f Zever gears 390 or 39| with which it is connected to its normal position.

Means is provided for preventing movement of moved downward from its normal or Add posithe lever 380 out of its adjusted position after tion. as shown in Fig. 4, to three separate posiit commences its resetting movement and until tions of adjustment for conditioning the machine it is returned to its home position. This means to perform three different kinds of total-taking consists of a circular plate 4| 4 (Fig. 5) with a operations, said positions being designated by guide rail 4|5 concentric with the stud 392 and 50 the numbers l, 2, and 3. When the lever 54 is fastened to the frame |99. The rail 4|5 has an moved to the No. l position, it conditions the maopening 4!6 opposite a stud 4|'| on the lever 380 chine for item total-taking operations; in the No. when said lever is in its home position. Shift- 2 position it conditions the machine for taking The total lever 54 is adapted to be manually ing of the lever 389 to either of its positions of totals from the clerks totalizers; and in the No. adjustment will place the stud 4|?, through the 55 3 position it conditions the machine for taking opening M6, on one side or the other of the guide totals from the transaction totalizers.

rail 415. When the lever 380 is moved out of its Locking means is provided for normally lockhome position, the stud 4H will ride on whichins the lover 54 out of its Nos- 2 and 3 positions ever side of the rail 4|5 it has been positioned of adjustment. The lever 54 is always free to on and will thus prevent any movement of the Go be moved from its normal or Add position to its lever 38|! out oi its adjusted position during a No. l or item total-taking position for the purresetting operation. pose of taking totals of multiple-item transac- A full stroke device is provided for locking the tions. In addition to the function of locking the lever 383 against reverse movement when travellever 54 out of its Nos. 2 and 3 lOOStOrlS 0f ading in either direction until the stroke has been justment, said locking means pelfOimS aIlOtheI completed.. This device consists of a two-armed function; namely, looking the counter reset lever puwl 42|! (Fig. 3), which, by means of e, giet 42| 385 against operation when the total lever 54 is surrounding a stud 422 mounted in the frame |90, locked out of the above-mentioned positions. e sudebly and pivoteily mounted on Seid Stud, Inasmuch as only this last-named function is A retaining pawl 423, pivoted on a stud 424 in pertinent to the present invention, a description the frame |99, serves to maintain the pawl 420 0f thiS UDCtiOIl Only Will be given herein.

in cooperative relation with teeth 425 of the disk Said looking means consists of a lock 440 (Fg- 4el. The pawl 423 is constantly urged clock- 4) adjacent the total lever 54 and mounted on a wise by a spring 426 connected to e, Stud 421 in total lever frame 44|. This lock 440 is adapted, the pewi 423 and to a stud 428 in the frame leu. 5 when a key is inserted therein, to operate a bolt 442 provided with a bar 443 and a lug 444. The bar 443 coacts with the lever 54 to lock it out of the positions above mentioned, while the lug 444 operates mechanism to lock the counter reset lever 380 against operation. The lug 444 has a slot 445 engaged by a pin 445 on an arm 441 of a link 448. The arm 441 is pivoted to an arm 448 pivoted on a stud 450 in the frame 44|. The link 448 is pivoted to a locking lever 45| pivoted on a stud 452 (Fig. 3) in the frame |96. The lever 45| has a hook 453 which engages over the upper end of an arcuate plate 454 fast to the disk 4| to lock said disk and its associated reset lever 389 against operation. The plate 454 also serves to guide the hook 453 and the lever 45| when the disk 40| and the reset lever 380 are being operated, and to prevent the locking lever 45 from being moved to locking position when the reset lever 380 is out of its home position.

It will be seen from the above that when the lock 440 is operated by a key to move the bolt 442 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, it will, through the slot and pin connection 445-446, lower the link 448 to rock the lever 45| clockwise to disengage the hook 453 from the plate 454, thus releasing the disk 40| and the reset lever 38|! for operation.

When it is desired to reset the counters to zero, the manager or some other authorized person unlocks the lock 440 (Fig. 4) thereby moving the link 448 downward to rock the lever 45| (Fig. 3) clockwise to release the counter reset lever 38 for operation. The lever 380 is then manually moved to the full extent of its forward stroke to reset to zero two of said rows of counters, atfer which the lever is returned to its home position. If the lever 380 is in its lower position of adjustment, it will cause the two rows of individual clerks counters to be reset to zero, but if said lever has been manually shifted to its upper position, it will cause the two rows of transaction counters to be reset to zero.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of groups of counters; a plurality of shafts, one for each group of counters and having means thereon to reset the counters associated therewith; a pair of coaxial gears; means connecting one of said gears to certain of said shafts and the other of said gears to the remaining shafts; a manipulative device shiftable to a plurality of positions adjacent said gears; and a projection on said device selectively cooperable with one or the other of said. gears depending upon the position of the device, to connect the device to the gears so that they may be selectively operated thereby.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of counters; a plurality of reset shafts upon which said counters are mounted; a support; a pair of gears coaXially mounted on said support, the body portionof each gearcontaining a notch and an adjacent slot; a manipulative device mounted for rota-tion about said support and for shifting movement to eitherl of two positions relative to said support; a stud on said device cooperable with the notches in one or the other of said gears when the device is iny either of its shifted positions, said notches and slots in said gears being so located that when the stud is in the notch of one gear it rides in the slot of the other gear, thus forming a selective operating connection between said gears and said device whereby the shifting of the device will connect one of the gears to the device and the rotation of the device about the support will operate the connected gear; and means connecting one of said shafts to one of the pair of gears and another of the shafts to the other of said gears, thus affording a selective reset of the counters. Y

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of counters; a plurality of reset shafts upon which said counters are mounted; a support; a pair of gears coaxially mounted on said support, the body portion of each gear containing a notch and an adjacent slot; a manipulative device mounted for movement from and back to a normal position and for shifting movement to either of two positions relative to said support while in said normal position; a stud on said device cocperable with the notches in one or the other of said gears when the device is in either of its shifted positions, said notches and slots in said gears being so located that when the stud is in the notch of one gear it rides in the slot of the other gear, thus forming a selective operating connection between said gears and said device whereby the shifting of the device will connect one of the gears to the device and the rotation of the device about the support will operate the connected gear; means connecting one of said shafts to one of the pair of gears and another of the shafts to the other of said gears, thus affording a selective reset of the counters; full-stroke means associated with said manipulative device and effective, when the device is moved from normal position, to compel a complete movement of the device from and back to normal position; a projection on said manipulative device; and a member fastened to said support and cooperable with the projection on the manipulative device whenever the manipulative device is out of normal position to thereby prevent the shifting of the manipulative device after it has been moved from normal position and until it is returned to normal position, said member fastened to the support and the cooperating projection on the device operating in conjunction with the full-stroke means to compel the completion of a resetting operation involving a selected group of counters before the other group of counters can be selected for a resetting operation.

WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON. 

